Subtle changes are exactly what has happened in higher education over the last year or so. The subtle embedding of political viewpoints in college policies, presidential hiring and firing, and college admissions has had a barage of impacts that have decreased student enrollment and eroded faculty tenure lines. Regardless of what side of the aisle you sit, these changes have an impact on the ways you carry out your job. So what does the subtlety of the autumn air have to do with the academic journey?

The professoriate places very unrealistic expectations on us, and we add to that by setting unrealistic expectations on ourselves as well. But when is it enough? How do these expectations really impact our professional trajectory and well-being?

Commencement — without its attachment to an educational activity — means the beginning of something, and the commencement speech is a message to the graduates about their new beginning. It’s an opportunity to reflect on one’s journey and address the potential and possibilities that lie ahead. The same can be true for those in higher education or those whose work aligns with the academic calendar.

Tax day rolled in last week and with it were long lines at the post office, feelings of trepidation around signing up for payment plans and chatter about the new taxes laws that impact us all. Regardless of if you owe the IRS or anticipate a refund this year, we all pay ‘taxes” as we journey through life. I am not speaking about financial taxes, I am referring to the emotional tax we pay each day - at work and sometimes at play.

March is Women’s History month. Or perhaps we can just say March is Herstory Month. A month that focuses on the accomplishments of women. A celebration of our stories and our unapologetic baddassness (is that a word?). An acknowledgement and uplift of our intersectionality. As I think about the word herstory, it is not about a pronoun - a his or her; it is about presenting a historical context that focuses primarily on the contributions of women, and in this case, Black women.